Practical business strategies

Want to hear something that is very subtle but true?

Setting yourself up to fail before you have even started is not going to help you or your business.

So why is it that entrepreneurs and small business owners eagerly wait for business to come in and then start trying to piece the bits together after they have an enquiry or a potential customer who wants to use their service?

What does this mean?

Let’s say you receive a phone call and the customer asks ‘what are your prices?’ and you are not sure of your prices unless you look it up on your price list which is in a pile of paperwork that has not been filed or has been tucked away somewhere in a file that you just cannot put your hands on right now.

You are also unsure of what the steps are for a customer who wants to know the step by step approach of how your process works and what the specific details they need in order to take up your service or product or what your process is for returns.

Does this sound familiar?

1. Not having a System

Having a system will eliminate these problems and therefore you need to Systematise your business and understand how your business works. What is the process that leads to a sale, what is the process that happens after a sale and what is the process for refunds, returns or an unsatisfied customer?

Can you afford to lose a customer?

How much is a customer worth to you?

Not having your price information can lead to a lost sale as it only takes those famous words ‘give me your number and I will call you back’ and during that time the customer has gone on to the next contact on their list and is given a price and so makes a purchase and therefore you have lost a sale and a potential customer who may have continually bought from you, recommended you to others and bought other services or products.

Is having a system really worth it?

Learn it, Love it, and Implement it.

2. Not having a good Strategy

The second mistake is not being organised or having an effective way to get the most out of your day or what you need to accomplish.

Here are just some of the challenges I have found are faced by business owners and entrepreneurs today:

• • ‘I seem to be working on an impact basis all the time’

• ‘I can’t seem to spend more time on higher value tasks to move my business forward’

• ‘I would like to be more in control of my time and my day’

• ‘I know what I need to do but I don’t know where to start?’

• I’ need to spend more time on marketing my business’

• ‘I need help sorting out this problem’

What is needed is having a strategy to understand what you would like to get done so that you can achieve the goals that you set using tactics or techniques to move you closer to accomplishing goals and tasks.

Do you know what your strategies are and what the tactics are that will enable you to accomplish them?

Strategy + Tactics + Action + Implement

Know it, Implement it, Stick with it

3. Not having a Positive mindset

Just take a moment to think – are you standing on your own foot?

I think you know this one is coming and dare I say the word – ‘complacency’.

‘Complacency is the enemy of progress and fear is the greatest inhibitor to the progress of mankind’

Complacency breeds procrastination, fear and a whole host of other excuses that hinder your progress, your outcome and the results that you want to achieve or desire.

Missing your opportunity when it comes along because you were complacent upon activities that could lead you into having more customers, having a higher revenue or a new business opportunity that comes along.

Think of the very successful people you know do you think they were complacent to achieve their results and get where they are today?

If Richard Branson was complacent would he be where he is today?

If Warren Buffet was complacent would he be where he is today?

If J K Rowling was complacent would she be where she is today?

A positive mindset is imperative to your success or success of the outcome that you want to achieve.

Kick start your progress and move from complacency into positivity

Remember great effort springs naturally from a great attitude.

Identify it , Understand it, Take action on it.

Do you have SSP in your business?

1. A system to ensure that you know about your business processes and you do not lose customers
2. A strategy to keep you on track so you know how you are going to implement your plan or goal
3. A positive mindset to accomplish your goals and to progress forward and move from where you are now to where you want to be.